Chocolate is often touted as a naughty, bad-for-you, eat-only-on-occasion kind of food. But, is it really that bad? While a mouth full of fudge can’t help but make us smile, the health benefits are a little trickier. While the delicious dessert may be packed with antioxidants, the high sugar content of most processed bars offsets many of those benefits[1]. But worry not: There’s a way to have your (chocolate) cake and eat it too.

Chocolate Cheat Sheet — Why It Matters

Cacao, the base of chocolate, can be a healthy addition to most diets. In its natural form, cacao can lower blood pressure, improve circulation, and reduce the risk for diabetes and coronary heart disease[2][3][4]. And don’t forget the brain: A bit of dark chocolate can give our thinking skills regulate levels of the stress hormone cortisol[5].

The Bitter(sweet) Truth — The Answer/Debate

Extensive processing, as well as added sugar and milk, often strip cacao of its nutritional one-two punch, causing a potential superfood rockstar to drop to a fallen idol status. Luckily, healthy options exist, giving chocolate a chance to redeem itself. When there’s a choice of white, milk, or dark chocolate, go dark. Whole milk makes up the majority of milk chocolate and may interfere with the body’s absorption of antioxidants ((Effects of low habitual cocoa intake on blood pressure and bioactive nitric oxide: a randomized control trial. Taubert, D., Roesen, R., Lehmann, C. Department of Pharmacology, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2007 Jul 4;298(1):49-60.)). To stave off added fat and excess sugar, look for dark chocolate with a cacao content above 70 percent. In fact, the higher the cacao content, the better. But be warned: Dark chocolate tends to taste more bitter than its milky counterpart, so if choosing super-dark varities, opt for bars with some healthy add-ins like almonds or dried cherries for a flavor (and nutrition) boost.

Another chocolate worth going cuckoo for is raw chocolate, a dairy-free, unprocessed option. Raw chocolate bars are often sweetened with agave or palm sugar, whichhave a lower glycemic index than cane sugar. Raw chocolate packs a distinct, deep flavor paired with a ruthless stab at the wallet, but luckily, a little goes a long way. Look for raw chocolate at local health food stores in bar or powder form. Heat the powder with water or almond milk, and sweeten with stevia for some homemade hot chocolate.

To get the benefits of cacao without the bulk, reach for cacao nibs, dry-roasted cacao beans with a nutty flavor. Try sprinkling the nibs on top of a dessert or add them to a smoothie for a little extra kick. At the end of the day, even the most nutritious kinds of chocolate are healthful … but in moderation!